Cape Town - “I believe that it’s a democratic right I will practise. I want to see the party I voted for last back in government,” said Lidia Rauch when she cast her special vote in Cape Town on Monday morning.
Voting stations open at 8am and stay open until 5pm on Monday and Tuesday, unless all the special votes expected to be cast at a particular station have already been deposited in ballot boxes.
Rauch is one of more than 50 000 people expected to cast special votes in the Western Cape on Monday and Tuesday at polling stations and during home visits.
Rauch, 27, from Kloof Street in Cape Town said she chose to cast her vote at Jan Van Riebeeck Primary School because she wanted the right to choose her local government and was about to fly out of the city.
“I will not be in the district for elections, in two hours I am boarding a flight to Joburg,” she said.
Rauch said it was important for every South African to vote since the event only happens every five years.
“Especially with service delivery issues you can vote out the local government who is not doing anything of benefit to your area. Local government immediately affects you, if you don’t use your right to vote it’s the same as saying that you don’t care,” she said.
Western Cape electoral officer Courtney Sampson said there are two categories for special votes. “One category cannot travel to vote because they are disabled, pregnant, or elderly. They applied for a special vote on July 8 and we will be visiting their homes. The other category is for people who are not able to vote on Wednesday because they won’t be in the district or for other reasons stipulated.
“Our officers are ready and look forward to a wonderful day.”
However, residents casting their special votes in Cape Town got off to a slow start at some places with only one or two people casting their ballot.
At the Cape Town Civic Centre, only two people cast votes at 8am, but a total of 1 248 people were expected to pour through the doors before 5pm to cast a special vote.
More than 22 000 of the total special votes to be cast in the province will be cast in the Cape Town metro.
The votes will remain in the boxes until election day and will be counted along with the ordinary ballots after voting closes on August 3.
A few people took to social media to raise their concerns about some voting stations that were not up and running by 8am.
IEC spokeswoman Kate Bapela said on Monday that it is possible that the opening of some voting stations was delayed.
Although she couldn’t confirm where they were, Bapela said that the voting stations she had visited in Fourways and the south of Joburg it was all systems go.
“I haven’t received detailed feedback on where the problems are at the moment,” said Bapela.
IEC chairperson Glen Mashinini voted at Dainfern College on Monday morning.
The commission received over 740 000 applications for special votes which is three times more than those received in 2011.
About 44% of the applications were for home visits and 56% from voters who will vote at the various voting stations around the country.
The Electoral Commission said the increase in the number of applications for special votes was an encouraging sign of voter interest in the municipal elections.
For the first time this year, voters could apply for a special vote online and via SMS.
Special votes were permitted to the disabled, infirm and pregnant, as well as members of the security forces, elections officials, the media and others who would not be able to cast their vote on Wednesday.
Electoral officers will only visit the provided address once. If the voter is not home, the opportunity to vote will be lost and they will have to vote on August 3.
As with election day, special voters will have their left thumbnail marked with indelible ink, their ID document will be checked and stamped before receiving the relevant ballot papers. The ballots will be marked in secret and will be sealed in an unmarked envelope. This unmarked envelope will be placed in another envelope marked with the voter’s name, ID number and voting district. The double envelope system is to ensure the secrecy of the ballot. The envelopes will be placed in a secure ballot box marked for special votes.
The voter’s name will be marked off the voter’s roll with the letters “SV”, to indicate a special vote was cast.
Cape Argus and Elections Bureau